Checking system

I ran the following URL which helped me determine if software was up to date on my system.
http://secunia.com/software_inspector/

I was running Adobe Reader 7.07 and was advised to update to 8 which I did. Question? Now in Add and Remove both Adobe Readers 7.07 & 8 are showing as installed. Should I uninstall the earlier version?

A further question- In Services I have the following running which I wonder if they are all needed -

1)Symantec Event Manager
2)Symantec Settings Manager
3)Symantec Core LC
4)True Vector Internet Monitor.

The only Symantec software I run is Nortons Ghost 10 which is my backup image software for my entire system, so wondering if all these items need to be in services running at startup?

Lastly, I am running Adobe Flash Player [removed] which I believe is the latest released, (showing installed in Add and Remove) but Secunia.com persistenly tells me my Macromedia needs upgrading:

This installation of Macromedia Flash Player 8.x is insecure and potentially exposes your system to security threats!

The detected version installed on your system is [removed], however, the latest secure version released by the vendor, fixing one or more vulnerabilities, is 9.0.28.0.

Update Instructions:
Update to version 9.0.28.0.
http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflash

NOTE: When updating Flash Player, older versions are not always automatically removed from your system. If older versions were detected that you believe should not be present, then please contact the vendor regarding how to remove them from your system.

Vulnerabilities Fixed:
Read about the vulnerabilities fixed with this update in Secunia advisory SA22467 (opens in a new window). The Secunia advisory describes the vulnerabilities fixed by the latest security update. If your installation is outdated with more than one version, then more vulnerabilities may be covered.

Yet I also quote the following from the result on secunia.com
Yahoo! Messenger 8.x [removed]

ZoneAlarm 6.x 6.5.737.000

Adobe Flash Player 9.x [removed]

Adobe Flash Player 9.x 9.0.28.0

Macromedia Flash Player 8.x 8.0.24.0

Installed on Your System in:
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\Macromed\Flash\Flash8b.ocx

Thanks, would appreciate advice on the above from an expert.
_________________

Hello Tallin,

Well you have quite a grocery list here. To answer your Adobe Reader question: When you do an Adobe upgrade to the next version, it will leave the old version on your system (When I upgraded to version 7, I had 5 and 6 still on my system as well!). You should be fine by removing version 7 in the Add/Remove programs. You might also want to check the file folder in the Program Files directory. Adobe must have some reason for keeping them there, possibly for if a user ever decides to downgrade their version? At any rate, you only need one version on your system and version 8 works quite well.

As for the services, that's all dependent upon whether your software functions correctly without them.

Symantec Event Manager: Receives information from all registered events. It is the middleman that ensures that the information is then sent to the Log Viewer to be processed and displayed as part of the Activity Log Report

Symantec Settings Manager: A core component of Norton Internet security and is required for Norton products to function correctly.

Symantec Core LC: Same as above.

True Vector Internet Monitor is part of ZoneAlarm: Used for monitoring internet traffic and generatating alerts based upon the default security rules or rules that are configured by the user.

Finally, the Secunia Software advisor checks if the older versions of flash are on your system. Meaning even if you have the most up-to-date version, it will still see the old version as well and sound the alarm. What you want to do is follow the flash uninstall instructions from Adobe's website, delete the C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\Macromed folder, and then reinstall flash from http://www.adobe.com

Hope this helps,

Ax

Thanks AX for the great reply.

Firstly Adobe, I have uninstalled everything to do with Adobe Reader software including the files and folders from C: Drive and downloaded and installed Foxit 2.0. Reason being Foxit is not such a resource hogger.
One only problem remains, I cannot shift from 'Add and Remove' what I think is a remnant of Adobe 7.07. When I try to I get the following:
"The installation source of this product is not available. Verify that the source exists and that you can access it."

Adobe 7.07 (62MB) does not show in Start/All programs, but does in Add and Remove.

I have run CCleaner, but to no avail. Any suggestions please?

Re those four items in Services, I will leave them as they are after reading your post.

Flash Player has been uninstalled and then downloaded and installed again and all is fine……………..thank you very much for your help.

kind regards,

I'm glad you worked things out. dough had actually suggested telling you about FoxIt Reader, but you didn't seem to have any major issues with Adobe in your first post, so I left it out. Scan for issues with CCleaner and fix all issues it finds. This will remove the registry entries that make the entry appear in the Add/Remove Programs. Cheers, Ax

Thanks AX238 for your post. No, No trouble with Adobe, but Foxit not such a large program. As mentioned I have scanned with CCleaner, BUT the remnant is still showing in Add and Remove. Any other suggestions along the way I would be grateful. Cheers and thanks again.

OK, great! I just wasn't sure if you did the "Issues" with CCleaner or the "Cleaner", thanks for the clarification. Try using the Add/Remove Program Cleaner.

Thanks again. I used 'addremoved software' and still it is there, but a very much reduced item! Certainly stubborn. Showing in Add and Remove is a very much thinner strip with no writing on it except what is showing in this attachment to you. Must be female, stubborn like me

OK, This is going to involve you going into your system registry, so be careful ;).

• Click Start|Run, type regedit, and press Enter
• Click File|Export
• Make sure All is selected under "Export range" and save it to the desktop as backup.reg
• Navigate the left pane to the following key and highlight it:
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
• Press Ctrl-F and search for Adobe Reader
• When it finds an entry, there will be one folder open in the left pane. Right-click this and select Delete
• Reopen/Refresh Add/Remove programs and check for the entry.
• If the entry is still there, press F3 in the Registry Editor and repeat step 6.
• Close the Registry Editor when completed.
• If you accidentally delete the wrong one, just double-click and merge the backup file on the Desktop and it will restore the registry.

Hope this helps.

I did exactly as you said AX, twice infact but it is still there.

You must be sick of me by now!

regards,

"If the entry is still there, press F3 in the Registry Editor and repeat step 6."

Hi tallin and Ax I don't mean to butt in… You could alternatively try using Spybot (advanced mode) - Tools - Uninstall Info and highlight Adobe Reader 7.07 and hit Delete. Usually, remnants of programs in Add/Remove remain when an uninstall wasn't completed successfully or was flawed. I also found that when doing an uninstall, it is often best to restart the computer after finishing the uninstall. Which allows the files/folders that were in use to be removed. Some uninstalls will tell you to do this, but not all. Hope this helps

Thanks for your post - AND your not butting in, all help is gratefully received. Adobe 7.07 does not show in "Spybot (advanced mode) - Tools - Uninstall Info and highlight Adobe Reader 7.07" I was also advised to download 'Adobe Reader 7.0.7' again which would install the uninstaller for the software, then uninstall again - I have done that, the attachment shows I now have two installed. Any suggestions what to do next? Seems I am going around in circles here! Thanks for your interest and any other suggestions you may have. Cheers

Galadriel and AX238,

Hi, Just a note to thank you so much for your input in attempting to clear my Adobe 7.0.7 remnant from my Add and Remove.

It was a deep registry problem solved by a Skype conference call from two learned Technicians, one taking over my registry 'thankfully' (I am not comfortable within it) There were many many F3 (registry searches) and finally all relevant items was deleted deep within the registry. After a reboot, and a further call via skype the problem was gone from Add and Remove.

I will now stay with 'Foxit Reader' a much smaller program which will suit me better suggested by Dough now downloaded and installed.

My sincere thanks to you both.

The registry sure can be a daunting place. Glad you got it solved.

Thank you for your assistance and input, Galadriel. Sorry I was away a couple of days and so was not able to get back to the forums for a bit. I'm glad to hear the issue has been resolved, tallin!